The Three Rivers Junior Varsity football squad rolled over the Cotulla Cowboys last Thursday night by a score of 34-8.

The Bulldog squad of 13 stepped on the field ready to play. Larry Hatten jumpstarted the Bulldogs with 10 and 12 yard runs. Hatten then handed the ball to Troy Chowns for a gain of 8 yards. Hatten then kept the ball behind downfield blocks from Josh Perez and Michael Casarez.

On the Bulldogs next play, Chowns barreled down the sidelines for a 44 yard TD run, which was opened up by a downfield block by Patrick Jarratt. The two point conversion was good as Ty Brown went outside untouched to put TR up 8-0. On the kickoff, kicker Ryan Saenz placed the kick perfectly and the Bulldogs’ Soph Pon recovered the kick to give the Bulldogs the ball back.

Carries by Saenz then a 38 yard run by Hatten set up the next score of the night as Chowns again scored from 4 yards out. Hatten then ran in the PAT to make the score 16-0 with 2:58 left in the 1st quarter.

The Bulldog defense then made a great stand led by front linesman Taylor Noble, Jake Baker, Soph Pon , and Brodie Ruiz. The Bulldogs got the ball back in the 2nd quarter but had a rought time getting out their own territory. The Cowboys sacked Hatten for a 12 yard loss then blocked a Bulldog punt to give them the ball at the 12 yard line. Cotulla went in for their only score of the night, capitalizing on the Bulldogs mistake..

On the next offensive series for the Bulldogs, it only took 3 plays to score as Hatten again had a long run of 51 yards behind blocks by Landry Newport, Soph Pon and Gage Crawford. The PAT appeared good as Saenz hit Chowns in the endzone, but a penalty was called on the Bulldogs. On the second attempt at the PAT , Hatten just missed Gage Crawford at the back of the endzone. The score was 22-8.

Again the Bulldog defense stopped the Cowboys with great plays from Ryan Saenz, Troy Chowns, and a tackle in the backfield by Hatten. The Cowboys attempted to go to the air but the secondary of Ty Brown, Patrick Jarratt , and Josh Perez shut down the Cotulla passing game. The Bulldogs got the ball back with 4:28 left in the half. Hatten pitched to Saenz then handed to Chowns to move the ball inside the red zone.

On the 5th play of the drive, Hatten went around the outside behind great blocking by Jacob Muniz and Jake Baker and receivers Josh Perez and Michael Casarez to score untouched from 12 yards out. The PAT failed but the Bulldogs went in to halftime with a 28-8 lead. The Cowboys kept the ball away from the Bulldogs for much of the 3rd quarter. To start the 4th quarter, Cotulla attempted a pass but it was deflected by Patrick Jarratt and into the hands of Gage Crawford who returned the interception 24 yards behind great blocks by Taylor Noble, Soph Pon, and Brodie Ruiz. Several Cowboys laid on the field after the interception as the Bulldogs celebrated. Chowns carried the ball for 6 yards then Hatten kept the ball for 14 yards. On the next play from the Cotulla 29 yard line, Saenz took the hand off behind great blocks by Landry Newport, Taylor Noble, Soph Pon, and Gage Crawford.

Saenz raced down the sidelines then cut back across the field behind downfield blocks by Patrick Jarratt and Josh Perez to get into the endzone to put the Bulldogs up 34-8. On the PAT, Hatten rolled to his left and threw to Josh Perez but the pass was a little too high to make the final score 34-8.